Manufacturing News South Africa

Labour probes Kempton Park factory explosion

PRETORIA: Inspectors of the provincial Department of Labour in Gauteng are investigating the explosion at Kempton Park's Oricol factory, which left five people injured, one of them with critical injuries.

The factory's roof and part of the walls collapsed in a blaze on Wednesday, 10 April 2013.

The Gauteng Department of Labour said its formal inquiry, set up in terms of Section 32 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993, will seek to establish the cause of the incident.

According to the provincial department representative, Mishack Magakwe, if the employer is found to be negligent and to have flouted any aspect of the laws, a recommendation to prosecute will be made to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

"We cannot allow employers to continue to disregard worker safety. The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993, requires the employer to bring about and maintain, as far as reasonably practicable, a work environment that is safe and without risk to the health of the workers," Magakwe said.

Source: SAnews.gov.za

SAnews.gov.za is a South African government news service, published by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS). SAnews.gov.za (formerly BuaNews) was established to provide quick and easy access to articles and feature stories aimed at keeping the public informed about the implementation of government mandates.

Go to: http://www.sanews.gov.za
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